The Dating Club

It Would Be Like Doing The Salsa In Ice Skates

Chapter Eleven: It Would Be Like Doing The Salsa In Ice Skates




I'm in heaven. I've died of happiness, I'm in heaven...

     "Jessica!"

     Ok, so a heaven with Matty in it. It's not ideal but I suppose I can work with it.

     "Jessica!"

     And, apparently a heaven with Marissa.

     I open my eyes and see the two of them staring at me in amusement. "What?" I say.

     "You've been stood like that ever since we gave you the pot of Ben and Jerry's. Now you have to agree to go on the date," sings Marissa. The two have cornered me at the back of the school, and I'm trying to slip away unnoticed.

     "And if I don't?"

     "Well I'll take the ice cream back then, won't I?" Says Matty, reaching out to take it.

     "Fine!" I say, hugging the tub protectively. "But no promises I'll actually get into the pool."

     "Come on Jess this is the chance of a lifetime," complains Marissa. I turn to her, pursing my lips.

     "Marissa it would be like me asking you to do the salsa. In front of the Nation. In ice skates."

     Marissa is not good with large social activities, and detests anything to do with being in the spotlight. I see her gulp and Matty turns to her.

     "You don't like dancing?"

     She shakes her head. "No way. I can't dance. I have two left feet."

     "You'll have to show me one day," he says winking, and I cluck angrily, feeling annoyed. "Hey, what time did you say you would pick me up again?" I say.

     "I'll stop by at seven. Is that alright?" He asks, although I know he doesn't really need my approval, he'll pick me up at seven anyway.

     I nod, and he sighs and lifts his arm so I can duck beneath it and make my escape. But before I make it he grabs me around the waist and pulls me to his chest, whispering, "you look gorgeous today."

     I blush and smile, and he lets me go finally, and then walks off into the school.


     "Matty totally digs you," I say to Marissa.

     "Are you kidding? He likes you Jess, it's as clear as the sky is blue," she replies, and I'm surprised by the bitter tone in her voice.

     I decide to drop it, and since it is Tuesday I walk into my biology class. I take my seat by the window and open my bag.

     "Jess!"

     I turn around and see Nathan grinning at me from the seat behind me, and I smile back, a little confused. I didn't know he was in my class.

     "Since when were you in 12QN?" I ask, and he looks at me, puzzled.

     "I've always been in this set," he says. Oh. Awkward. So maybe I'm a little unobservant. Shoot me.

     "I knew that," I say, and he laughs quietly. "It's alright, it's only been a month and a half since term started."

     "Is that sarcastic?"

     "Maybe."

     I smile and he grins back at me.


     With Nathan sat behind me and actually paying attention to the class I manage to get some work done, through copying his notes and asking him when I don't understand. He is a lot cleverer than I had originally thought. Nathan always surprises me when I don't expect it.

     He shocks me by asking me on another date.

     "I have somewhere I really want to go with you,"he says, and I feel a little honoured. I know that Nathan has a lot of things he hides from people, and if he's offering to show them to me and me personally it's something to be proud of.

     "I would love to go on another date with you, but I'm really not the person you need to talk to. Parma sorts the dates," I say, and he nods.


     And to top my day off I also have Alfie approach me, asking about a second date. "I'm really sorry about Tuesday. I should have came and apologised earlier but-"

     "It's ok! Really, Alfie, it's ok. It was just a misunderstanding," I say, and I see him breathe a sigh of relief.

     "Thank god for that. I've been worrying about it all week. Yeah, a misunderstanding," he says. "Will you go on another date Jessica?" adds quickly, and I remind myself to tell Parma that she needs to let everyone know that she sorts the dates. "Ask Parma. I don't control the dates," I say.

     "I know. I'm asking you if you want to go on another date," he says, and smile at how much of a gentleman Alfie is.

     "Yes, I will," I say.


     It pleases me to have made up with everyone, but then Luke spoils it.

     "Alfie tried to kiss you! How could you let him off for something like that? Man I want to punch his face in. Why didn't you tell me?" He demands at lunch, and I pause in between taking his food.

     "It was just a misunderstanding Luke-"

     "Misunderstanding, my arse! He just wants to get into your pants Jess."

     "Luke seriously! Like I would let him! Who do you think I am?"

     "Who are you Jess? Why don't you tell me? Because the Jess I know doesn't go on dates with different guys every other day!"

     I stop and stare at him, and it's like seeing another person.

     "No, Luke listen..."

     "I've been listening all along. You and Matty. You and Alfie. You and - and Nathan? What is wrong with you Jess? No - what's wrong with me?" And then, almost in a whisper, I hear him say "why am I even bothering?"

     "You've got it all wrong..." I whisper, and he stands up, knocking his chair back. "Well when you feel like explaining, why don't you actually tell the truth. I know you went to La Mezzoluna with Alfie. You lied to me Jessica."

     I almost choke when he says my full name. "Luke please wait!" I wail as he storms away, pushing chairs across the hallway in his wake. Several people turn and stare at him as he walks past, and then look at me.

     I put my head in my hands and close my eyes. The sound level gradually builds up again and I continue to eat my food in silence. Someone sits down next to me and I ignore them, trying to sip my pepsi.

     "What was wrong with him?" says Matty, and I sigh. "None of your business, unless you're thinking about helping me murder Parma."

     He laughs. "Yes but would you still date me then?"

     I stand and finish my drink. "I'll see you at seven," I say before leaving.

     Before I make it out of the cantine I bump into someone standing facing me, and I take a step back dizzily.

     "Wow, I would watch where you're going, cupcake."

     "Sorry, I didn't see you there," I mutter, trying to go around them. They put a hand back, and I glare at the person stood in front of me. Who does he think he is? "Do I know you?" I say.

     I see him raise an eyebrow and his dark blue eyes narrow slightly. He shakes his head and lets me pass him.

     "But you will soon," he says as I walk away. An eerie feeling follows me to my lesson.


     The rest of the school day follows and an uncomfortable knot forms in my stomach, not about my incident with the stranger at lunch but about the terror I am supposed to put myself through tonight.
And all for a tub of ice cream.

     I walk home alone, wondering what excuse I can form to get out of this date.

     I could say I'm out visiting family. I could say I'm ill. I could say I've got homework.

     I go through the list but all seem to be flawed. Even the illness one. I may take drama but I'm not that good an actor, especially with my father as the audience.

     I open the door to my room and dump my bags with a frustrated groan, and face plant onto my bed. If it took me almost half an hour and two heart attacks to go on the lake on Saturday, tonight will surely kill me.

     My gaze falls on my vanity in the corner of my room, and the photos of myself and Luke blue-tacked and sellotaped to the mirror. I crawl across the floor on my belly and drag myself upright, staring at the pictures. Anger fills me in a sudden movement and I rip one off, glaring at it. Why didn't he listen to me? Why can't he just have faith in me? He's never been interested in my relationships with guys before -

     Well, probably because I haven't had any, but still, it's none of his business. It's my business who I date. And it's my business as to who I tell about it. So what if I didn't mention that I went to La Mezzoluna with Alfie? I didn't say I went alone. So I didn't exactly lie, either.

     His words echo in my head. "What's wrong with you?"

     I start to pull the photos off, angry tears building in my eyes. I pull them all off. The one of us at Alton Towers-

     "Why am I even bothering?"

     The one of him, me and Marissa at my sixteenth birthday -

     "You lied to me, Jess."

     Gosh I'm such a mess! I can't even control my feelings for one guy, and now I have to know how I feel about three others?

     My sister knocks on my door and I welcome her in gruffly, saying "Just take the bags. All of them. I don't want them."

     "What? No, I don't want clothes," she says, and I turn to her, still unsure.

     "Shoes then? Come on, spit it out."

     "Don't be so rude! I came to ask you if you're dating Mathew Miles. And I came... To warn you."

     What?

     "Warn me?" I echo.

     "Yeah. He's a player Jessica. Don't waste your time on him. Believe me... I know."

     "You dated Matty?"

     "Haha. Well yes, I did for a few months. But that's not who I'm talking about. Mathew is broken Jess, don't let him break your heart as well."

     "I won't," I vow, swallowing hard. "I know what I'm doing."

     She raises her eyebrows at me. "Well ok, little sis. Don't let him hurt you though. Otherwise ill hurt his face."

     I laugh at her. My sister, however good at making threats is not confrontational like myself. "Alright," I scoff.

     She leaves then, and I turn to my vanity again, not to rip more photos off, but to wipe off my makeup and reapply some waterproof mascara. Who knows what will happen tonight.

     Because Matty plans to take me into the water again.
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Thumbs up to the book cover by @SoulWeaver0628 !!! (At the side)

Q1 Teams guys? And thoughts on the mysterious stranger she bumped into at lunch? *wiggles eyebrows*


Vote/comment! I mean... if you want of course... I feel so bad saying that after every chapter haha;)

Morgan xox